Is that you, Gluten?

I’m lucky in that I rarely get sick in the traditional sense of the word. Colds? Nope. Flu? Nah. Migranes? No. Cough and sore throat? Hardly.

I try to take really good care of myself, and that results in me being a healthy and happy person most of the time. I can’t remember the last time I was bedridden, took a sick day, or needed to hit up the pharmacy for cough syrup.

That said. Sometimes, I just don’t know what the heck my body is doing.

Is it gluten? Is it the three glasses of wine I had last night? Is it just the weather? Is it the ab workout I did? Can’t tell!

We all know the “classic” signs that you’ve had gluten. But what about the other little things? These are a few signs that I’m still not sure if they’re gluten-related or not.

1. Random cramp on the left side of my stomach

At one point I thought I might have appendicitis because I just get one bad cramp on my left side sometimes, especially when I’m working out. It will be really painful right when I start running, but then I can usually work it out by the time I’m done with my run. So, it could just be that my abs are sore? Or I have a normal cramp, but it’s only every so often.

2. Fatigue

Usually I’m a 7 hour sleeper. If I go to bed at 11, then I’m up at 6 or 6:30 with no alarm. But then there are periods of a week or so where I can sleep 9 hours, and still need an alarm. I’ll also find myself wanting to nap in the middle of the day.

3. Dizziness

I’ve been known to faint when giving blood, or getting a shot, or just randomly on the subway when I get too hot. I’ve noticed, however, that sometimes I’m a bit dizzy just walking around. Or maybe foggy? I still haven’t figured out if it’s a nutrient deficiency, dehydration, or just in my head.

4. Aches

Sometimes I’ll get lower back pain, or my neck will get a huge kink in it. It could just be my mattress, or a long run – but it could be gluten.

Any random things happen to your body/health that you question if it’s gluten or not?